Cravings and Labor
by Pessimistic Romanticist
Summary: written for my twistah(twitter sister) Ana who wanted a fluffy pregnancy dandy story.


**A/N:** See summary. This fic is also connected to my latest fic "in sickness" a kind of inbetween fic and that idea goes to seaavery1 who I am also gifting this fic to, I love my fellow mindians, y'all rock. This was previously posted on tumblr and I hope you enjoy , if you are rereading I hope you enjoy it again._**  
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-**Pessi . Rom**

"Danny, Danny, where are you?" Mindy said to her husband on the phone.

"I'm walking up now," Danny said.

"Did you get everything?"

"Maybe?" Danny said and Mindy could hear his trademark smirk through the phone.

"Hey man, don't test me!" Mindy said.

"Yes, babe, I got everything. I'm at the door, so hanging up now."

"OK, bye, see you in a sec," Mindy said, hanging up and waddling to their condo door, opening it to reveal her husband, a bunch of Target reusable shopping bags in hand. Mindy reached to help him, but Danny shooed her away.

"What are you doing? You shouldn't be on your feet, or lifting anything," Danny said.

"Danny, I'm pregnant, not an invalid, and you and I both know that by this stage we usually recommend our patients stay active to encourage labor. And I wasn't trying to help, I just really want my ice cream and sour straws," Mindy said with a pout.

"Alright, alright, go sit down and I'll bring a big bowl for you," Danny said.

Mindy complied and waddled back over to the couch, stretching herself out slowly so she wouldn't roll off the couch. She was 9 months pregnant and the baby was scheduled to come anytime in the next two weeks. She watched as Danny retrieved a cereal bowl from the cabinet and began to scoop her favorite type of ice cream into the bowl. He then mixed some sour straws in as well as some chocolate chips.

"Don't forget the chocolate syrup!" Mindy called from the couch.

"I got it, I got it, was just about to add it," Danny said, taking out a bottle of syrup and covering the top surface of the candy ice cream concoction. He then walked over to his waiting wife, handing her the bowl.

"I've been waiting for this all day, oh god Danny, thank you! It's so good!" Mindy said after taking a spoonful.

"Anything for the mother of my child," Danny said, kissing her forehead.

"So did anything interesting happen at work today?" Mindy said, sitting up to allow Danny to have room with her on the couch. He took one of her feet in his hands and began to massage it, before speaking.

"Interesting? Not really. You know, the usual, Peter bragging about his latest conquest, Jeremy still wallowing over his break up with Lauren. Morgan, Tamara and Beverly being their usual selves." Danny said, then switched to massaging the other foot.

"Oh, come on, there's no way your day was that boring," Mindy said.

"You know I don't like to gossip," Danny said.

"Come on, Danny, I'd be at work to witness it all myself, if you hadn't knocked me up during our honeymoon. Not that I regret you, baby, mommy loves you so much, Daddy is just being a spoils sport by not filling Mommy in on the office gossip," Mindy said rubbing her belly as she looked down at it and spoke to the active baby inside.

"Well Daddy was too busy getting work done quickly so he could get home to you and Mommy, cause the work day just isn't the same without her popping in to say hi, shower me with kisses and share gossip when I'm trying to do paper work," Danny said with a smirk as he placed a hand on Mindy's swollen belly.

"Ok, that was kinda sweet, you're forgiven for lack of gossip this time, mister," Mindy said with a smirk before devouring the rest of the sweet concoction.

Her pregnancy had started off rough, especially her morning sickness, but when that had stopped her crazy cravings had started. Her cravings ranged all over the map, from chocolate and goldfish, graham cracker and cheese, to random ice cream concoctions like the one she was eating now. The worst had been the one where she wanted sorbet, pickles and peanut butter, with soy sauce on top. Danny nearly gagged making it, but Mindy had happily gobbled it up as if it were one of her favorite types of bear claw. Lately though her cravings had been sweets, sweets and more sweets. They mirrored her non pregnancy eating habits for the most part.

"Good, I don't like when you're mad at me," Danny said, kissing her forehead.

"I could never stay mad at my baby daddy, and think it's time for a nap, the ice cream calmed the baby down. She's been so active this week I've barely slept," Mindy said.

"It's probably cause she knows she's gonna meet us soon," Danny said with a smile. He then helped her up off the couch and put his arm around her as they made their way to the bedroom. Mindy lay down as comfortably as she could spooned against Danny. He wrapped his arm around her belly as they both fell asleep.

"Danny...Danny." Danny heard Mindy's frantic voice.

"What, huh?" Danny said, opening his eyes and sitting up.

"Danny I think, well I'm pretty sure my water just broke," Mindy said, hand on her belly.

"Now, like right now?" Danny said.

"Yeah...oh...contraction," Mindy said through gritting teeth as a contraction hit.

Danny, always planning ahead, had come up with a labor plan, so that they would be prepared whenever the baby would arrive. It took a lot of arguing back in forth as they made up Mindy's hospital bag two weeks prior. Danny had to convince her to go from eight pairs of change of clothing to four; marriage was all about compromise after all. Danny called the hospital only to find out their doctor was already in surgery with another patient. Their baby would have to be delivered by whoever was on call. Danny prayed over and over that it wouldn't be Peter, as he grabbed Mindy's bag and helped her into his car before making their way to the hospital, one hand holding hers as another contraction hit, the other on the steering wheel.

"Name?" The nurse asked when Danny wheeled in Mindy.

"Mindy Lahiri-Castellano, she's a patient of Dr. Logan's," Danny said.

The Nurse typed out Mindy's name, checking her in. A nurse wheeled her into her own private room, as per her labor plan. Mindy had been adamant about not having to share a room when she gave birth to her little girl.

"OK, vitals and everything looks good, the doctor on call is on his way. I'll be back to check in on you," the nurse said after hooking up Mindy's vitals and monitors.

"You ok?" Danny asked after the nurse left.

"Yeah, I think so. I'm a little scared. I knew she was coming, but Danny I didn't think it was gonna be this soon." Mindy said.

"I know, but you're gonna do great. We probably should have expected her to make a semi early appearance, sounds about right for a daughter of ours," Danny said with a smirk. Mindy smiled a little, it was just like Danny to make her feel better with a lame joke. She couldn't believe this was actually happening, she was gonna get to meet her daughter, their daughter, hers and Danny's.

"And how are we doing today, I'm Dr. Jeremy Reed I will be...Mindy, Danny?" Jeremy said shocked to see two of his medical practice doctors.

"Jeremy? You're the doctor on call, you've gotta be kidding me," Danny said.

"You're the early delivery?" Jeremy said, equally shocked. He'd arrived and been told the room number, but the chart was in the hospital room, so he didn't have the name of the patient.

"No, I'm just sitting in labor and delivery for kicks!" Mindy said, annoyed as another contraction hit. She reached for Danny's hands. Danny gritted his teeth as she slowly crushed his hand.

"No, no way, are you delivering our baby," Danny said.

"Why not, I'm a capable doctor, plus, it's not like I haven't seen…." Jeremy began but Danny cut him off.

"Hey, that's my wife! She's my wife now. I don't care that you've seen her vagina before, you don't get to see it anymore," Danny said, whispering 'vagina.'

"I, I wasn't talking about that, I was gonna say vaginal birth. The nurse told me she's almost fully dilated. There's no one else around Danny. You're going to have to suck up your pride and let me bring your child into the world," Jeremy said.

"Ok, ok fine, but don't linger or anything while you're down there," Danny said.

"Wait, what about my drugs?!" Mindy said as another contraction came and went.

"I'm afraid the time for that has passed," Jeremy said.

"Oh you've gotta be kidding me. Dammit Danny, it's your fault our daughter is so impatient!" Mindy yelled, hitting him with the hand he had previously been holding.

"Mindy, Mindy, stop, breathe," Danny said, trying to stay calm and remembering what they'd learning in their Lamaze classes.

"Screw you and your breathing, Castellano!" Mindy yelled.

"I know you don't mean that, Min," Danny said, continuing to remain calm.

"Alright, Mindy, it's time to move into delivery," Jeremy said fifteen minutes later, after he examined her and determined she was fully dilated.

"This is it Min, you've got this," Danny said, kissing her forehead.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," Mindy said sheepishly.

"It's ok, I'm gonna get changed and I'll be right in there with you," Danny said, giving her a quick peck on the lips.

The nurses rolled her into delivery and shortly Danny reappeared by her side dressed in a sterile hospital gown over his clothes.

"Alright, Mindy, get ready to push," Jeremy said.

"You can do it Dr. L.," Morgan said, appearing out of nowhere.

"Morgan, what the hell! Get out!" Mindy yelled. There was no way she wanted Morgan in there as she pushed out a baby, it was bad enough Jeremy was delivering.

"Morgan, out! Mindy, focus and push! Ok, stop," Jeremy said.

"Everything alright?" Danny asked when Jeremy glanced at the monitors real quick and whispered something to the nurse.

"Yeah, Danny, can you come here for a second?" Jeremy said.

"Yeah, sure," Danny said, confused but complying.

"I don't want to panic Mindy, but the baby has shifted and is now breached. Her vitals and Mindy's are fine, I just need you to keep Mindy calm while we turn her. Can you do that, mate, and keep yourself calm as well?" Jeremy said.

"Uh, yeah, yeah I can do that," Danny said, swallowing. He could feel himself panicking, even though he knew everything would be fine, a part of him wanted to panic but he needed to keep cool for Mindy and for their daughter.

"OK, Mindy, you're going to feel a little bit of pressure, but everything is ok, just stay calm," Jeremy said once Danny was back at Mindy's side.

"Danny, shouldn't I be pushing again? Is something wrong?" Mindy said suspiciously.

"No, every thing's alright," Danny.

"You're lying something is wrong." Mindy said, worry on her face

"Hey, Min, look at me. You just got a little sweat, here let me get that," Danny said, wiping her forehead.

"What?" Mindy said when he gave her one of his looks.

"You're beautiful, absolutely beautiful," Danny said, and Mindy remembered a conversation she and Danny had had five years prior in this very same hospital. Danny was indeed a man.

"Alright, Mindy, I'm going to need you to start pushing again," Jeremy said. And Mindy realized she had been so focused on Danny she hadn't even felt the pressure Jeremy had mentioned. Mindy pushed and a few seconds later she heard the first loud high pitched cries of her daughter.

"She's here, you did so good, Min." Danny said with a smile.

"Would you like to cut the cord, Dad?" Jeremy asked and Danny nodded before walking over and glimpsing at his daughter for the first time.

The baby was kicking her legs and screaming her little lungs out. She had Danny's eyes and a curly tuft of dark brown hair along with her mother's color. When she settled down after being cleaned and wrapped in a blanket and was placed in Danny's arms, he saw she had her mother's smile. Danny walked over and placed her in her waiting mother's arms.

"Oh Danny, she's so beautiful," Mindy said as she looked down at her daughter for the first time.

"Just like her mother. Welcome to the world Calliope Anne-Maria Castellano. I'm your dad and I promise I'm never gonna leave you, either of you," Danny said as he gazed at his wife and daughter.

"That goes without saying, but your dad may bore you with his horrible story-telling, but kid he'll always be there for you, whatever and whenever you need him, which makes you one very lucky kid. Not everyone is born to such awesome parents," Mindy said, kissing her daughters forehead.

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><p><strong>An:** _I hope you enjoyed this little fic, I may have another connected story to this one coming soon, so look out for that. Special thanks to my awesome beta numba 1 Robin at MIndian3(twitter) for editing this. you can follow me at mindiangrowl (twitter/tumblr) for all things tmp and if you are a tv addict like me lol, you can follow me at bets_red where I tweet daily prime time tv on cable and local channels movies etc, I pretty much watch everything except reality/competition shows. _ Thanks again for reading_.**  
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**-Pessi . Rom**


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